About

Welcome to the irreverent, overly-excited world of Kerobombo, where everyday objects and the memories of childhood come to life!

Kerobombo is a Chicago-based illustration and design brand specializing in pop culture and assorted nerdery. We’re giant nerds with a healthy nostalgia for the toys, videogames, and movies of our youth (we’re also olds, so that means 80s and 90s).

We also have a great love for the bright and colorful world of Japanese character design and do our best to bring it altogether and (hopefully) bring a smile to people. From pop culture, videogames, entertainment, vintage gadgets — you name it. We’re also pretty big foodies so that works it’s way in as well.

Our current product line consists of character-based sticker packs, vinyl stickers, pins, magnets, and art prints. Every item features distinct original artwork drawn by Chris Schons.

WHO ARE WE?

Chris originally worked as a comic artist and freelance illustrator, realized he didn’t really like it, and eventually stumbled into a career as a User Experience designer. He has a great love for design, illustration, and humor. Every illustration strives for just the right balance of cute and snark, informed by a lifetime of comics, Mad Magazine, and quietly drawing in the corner instead of socializing. Find him on Instgram:  @KeroBombo for cute stickers, @theBlackWarp for weird and WTF, and @ConsoleCrush for life, the universe, and everything else.

Isara has been a crafter and entrepreneur since the early days of Renegade Craft fair and Etsy (when it was actually handmade). She grew up immersed in the world of Sanrio and Japanese comics, and channels that into whimsical illustrations, stationery, and fashion. Find her on instagram and on her sticker shop mikiandizzy.com

WHAT EVEN IS A KEROBOMBO?

“Kero Kero” is Japanese term for the sound a frog makes, their version of “ribbit ribbit”. We went ahead and lopped off the extra “Kero because we know you're busy and who has time for that?

“Bombo” is just Bomb with an "o" added for some syllabic oof and to rhyme with Kero. ChatGPT tells us that it’s Spanish for “drum” but can also mean "nonsense" or "rubbish" in some contexts, which we’re fully on board with. In our case, it’s very specifcally the old timey-kind of bomb you’d find in Looney Toons or the Legend of Zelda (and that adorns my left arm tattoo).

And there you go, the more you know!